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Warts and Dysplasia

Dysplasia is a term for abnormal changes to cells. Warts are one kind of dysplasia. They are considered a low grade form of dysplasia.

Warts are usually caused by HPV 6 and HPV 11 and are generally non oncogenic. Although warts rarely progress into cancer, they can sometimes bleed or itch. Anal warts can be found just outside the opening to the anus or inside the anal canal. Some warts go away on their own, and some need treatment by a physician in order to get rid of them. There is no way to tell by appearance or by diagnostics which type will resolve on their own and which need to be removed. If left untreated some warts will stay the same, some will grow in size, and some may spread to other areas of the anogenital tract.

Anal Cancer

This page is intended to provide information about anal cancer and its precursors, high grade and low grade anal squamous intraepithelial lesions(HSIL and LSIL respectively). You will also find information on human papilloma virus (HPV), the cause of over 90% of anal cancers. (HPV is also responsible for over 95% of cervical cancers, as well as genital and anal warts.)

The good news is only a fraction of people with anal HPV infection will develop a lasting case of HSIL or LSIL, and even fewer will progress into anal cancer.

We also have a national list of providers who have been trained in HRA (high resolution anoscopy), the technique currently thought to be the best for detecting precancerous lesions and anal cancer.